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RCH AND TURF. 



LECTUIE^E 



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GEN'L A.'BUFORD, 



aDELITTEZSEOD I3iT 



Campbell-Street Church, Louisville, Ky., 



APRIL 30th, 1882. 




Louisville, Ky.: 
Courier-Journal Job Rooms Print. 




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GEN'L AfBUFORD, 



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ZDEILiXTTEZaElD I3iT 



Campbell-Street Church, Louisville, Ky., 



APRIL 30th. 1882. 



Louisville, Ky.: 
Courier-Journal Job Rooms Print. 



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LECTURE, 



Brethre7i a7id Sisters : 

It Is with a feeling of the most profound respect and 
reverence to Him who reigns on high, and who alone has 
the imperial power to approve or condemn our conduct 
here on earth, that I have consented, in compliance with 
a request from our worthy pastor, to say something to 
you this evening. It seems presumptuous on my part — 
from the fact that my early life has been led a little away 
from God — that I should attempt to say anything in so 
holy a place as this little church, and to an audience who 
has spent the greater part'of their lives in the study of 
the subject of religion — a subject which I will be candid 
enough to acknowledge I have not given that attention 
to in my early life that it ought to command from all men. 

Being almost an entire stranger within your gates, I 
have come to your little church and throw myself in your 
midst, seeking your advice and support in an effort to 
save my soul from being lost. 

EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS. 

You surely are not expecting advice and wisdom from 
one who has so recently buckled on his armor as a sol- 
dier of the cross. Being, as I say, something of a stran- 
ger within yourgates^ it will, perhaps, be more appropriate 
and interesting to you that what I shall say be upon the 
subject of my religious associations and teachings in 
early life, or, in other words, a little of my experience in 
matters touching religion, and something about horses, 
which will explain my course through hfe up to now, I 



was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, on the farm 
now known as Woodburn. I won't say when (but not a 
very great while ago, however). My parents were good 
and grand people. My mother — oh, what a dear mother 
she was! How devoted, and how hard she labored for 
the good of her twelve children ! She was a Presbyter- 
ian, and reared her family in the faith of that church. I 
was christened in that church when a child. My father 
was a farmer and breeder of fine horses. He reared and 
ran many fine race-horses, so I naturally inherited my 
fondness for the race-horse. When a school-boy I left 
Kentucky and went to West Point, N. Y., where I was 
educated. 

During the four years I was at West Point I attended 
the Episcopal church, and was impressed by the gran- 
deur of its ceremonies, and formed quite a strong par- 
tiality for that church. When I graduated at West 
Pointy I was assigned to duty in the First Regiment of 
Dragoons^ United States Army, and for fourteen years 
subsequent, I served on the Western frontier in protecting 
the pioneer of the West from the depredations of the 
Indians. The first time during my service in the West 
I ever saw the Lord's Supper spread was at Fort Atkin- 
son, Iowa, with the Rev. W. Lowry officiating, and with 
but two other communicants with him. This scene was 
witnessed by many of the warriors of the Winnebago 
tribe of Indians, some of whom asked, after the cere- 
mony was over, if that was all right and proper, why was 
it that so few of the whites joined in it ? To which ques- 
tion no satisfactory reply could be given to the Indians. 

My first Captain in the dragoon service was Nathan 
Boone, who was a son of Daniel Boone. Capt. Nathan 
Boone was a good. Christian man. I have often seen 
him kneel in his tent on his buffalo robe and pray fer- 



vently, at which I, a young dashing dragoon, would laugh 
in derision at what I thought was the weakness of the 
old man. I now rejoice in the fact that I have lived to 
see the day when I am convinced that the weakness was 
on my part and not that of the Christian pioneer. 

AFTER MY MARRIAGE 

I resigned from the army and settled in Woodford county, 
Ky., with my dear wife and boy. Oh ! what a dear wife 
and boy they were to me, and oh, how I miss them now ! 
They were both members of the Episcopal church, so 
that you must be satisfied that I am, indeed, very partial 
to that church. Although my dear wife and boy were 
members of that church for many ye-ers, on account of 
the fact that I owned, reared and trained many fine horses, 
I did not join them in this the most important step in 
life. Oh, that I had ; they might have been spared to 
me ! Still, I have never thought it inconsistent with the 
life of a true Christian to own fine race-horses ; yet the 
world, through what I conceive to be the weakness of 
human nature, thinks otherwise. Therefore, not wishing 
to bring disrepute upon the church in the opinion of the 
world, I did not join the church until I had parted com- 
pany with the race-horses. And what attracted me to 
the Christian church was the simplicity of its* teachings 
and ceremonies, in all of which I was soon educated. 
By the eloquence of and through the earnest and gentle 
manner of our worthy pastor, I was enabled to master 
courage sufficient to acknowledge before man our Mas- 
ter in heaven. 

This question touching the relative position of the 

CHURCH AND TURF <. 

is one, in my opinion, that strikes deeper at the interest of 
the church than many of our Christian friends think. It 



is a question on which I have my own views, and just 
here I would assure you that it is not my purpose to 
thrust my views on any one, and, especially, on such an 
audience as I find before me to-night. If we differ, let it 
be done in a gentle manner and in a Christian spirit, and 
should there be any material difference between us, let he 
who is in error have the candor to confess. From my 
occupation in life this is a question in which I have been 
deeply interested. I will ask you, therefore, to be a little 
patient while I give utterance to a few casual thoughts 
on the subject. Remember that the Bible teaches us to 
defend, protect and promote the interest of the Govern- 
ment under which we live. We will then ask : What 
interest has the Government in the development of the 
horse, as well as his improvement ? In answer I will say 
the defense of the country and its inhabitants against all 
enemies, both foreign and domestic, requires the most 
searching improvement and development of the horse. 
The cavalry arm of the service, which is admitted by 
most all great military men of the day to be the most 
efficient in war, as well as the artillery arm (in the field 
branch of that service), need the services of the horse in 
his most perfect form, and with all the ability he can be 
found to possess in the way of strength and courage. 

WE MUST HAVE A RACE-TRACK. 

To reach these points in a horse he must be developed 
and improved by handling and breeding. How, then, 
are we to develop him ? We must have a race-track on 
which to develop his capacity as to strength and durabil- 
ity, his speed and bottom ; and, when through the race- 
course we discover the horse that possesses these qualities 
in the greatest perfection, we will then choose him as the 
horse through which we will propagate and improve his 
species. Suppose we had been without a race-course 



since Noah left his ark with his inferior Barb or Arabian 
horses, our great Generals, Forrest, Stuart and Morgan, 
would have cut a pretty figure during the late war with 
their men mounted on such horses as those were. 

Our artillery would be totally inefficient in the field 
branch of that service. What sort of a race would I 
have made during the war when chasing Sturgis back 
into Memphis mounted on one of Noah's mustang 
ponies ? Or what would have become of me when Wil- 
son was chasing me across the bridge near Columbus, 
Ga., on which the Yankee picket seized the bridle of my 
horse and struck me over the head with his sabre, 
mounted on one of Noah's horses ? I would, indeed, have 
been a lost child. But being mounted on an improved 
thoroughbred, after discharging my pistol at his head, 1 
made a rapid and successful retreat. 

The most essential fact of all : The Treasury of the 
State would be deprived of many millions of dollars in 
consequence of the depreciated value of the horse. Then 
again, are not the members of all churches delighted 
when they can get a seat behind a pair of thoroughbred 
horses and drive over the splendid roads and beautiful 
parks of the country? And may I not ask how many 
members of the various churches in the land are there 
who are not interested in the development and handling 
of the horse, through which they secure the means that 
enables them to support their respective churches ? We 
then are, both Church and State, deeply interested in the 
development of the horse. 

THE GREAT TROUBLE. 

Now comes the great trouble, which is the management 
of the race-course, through which the many evils of which 
we know creep in and furnish the many arguments against 
Christian people attending the races even on Derby Day. 



8 

Then the question is simply this : Can not these evils be 
corrected ? We can not correct them by staying away 
and abandoning the whole thing to the devil and his sat- 
ellites — abandon the great national sport to the hands 
of bad and desperate men. This is an institution in 
which the State of Kentucky is interested to the amount 
of many millions of dollars. As I said, the Bible tells 
us we must support the Government under which we live, 
and you tell me it is the duty of Christians to abandon 
the great interest Kentucky has in the improvement of 
the horse into the hands of bad men of the country by 
building a Chinese wall around it. I say emphatically, 
no ! It is, in my opinion, the duty of all Christians to 
aid in the passage of such State laws as will correct the 
many evils in the management, which I will not here at- 
tempt to enumerate. Some of these evils are trifling 
and might, in some, degree be corrected by the presence 
of good. Christian people. Remember, however, that, 
when you should present yourself there, your purpose 
must be honest — to correct, and not engage in, the vices 
spoken of. It is with much pleasure and pride that I can 
truthfully state that evils alluded to in the management 
of the many race-courses in the United States, do not 
exist in Kentucky to that extent. They do in the East. 
In fact, the evils existing in the management of our race- 
course near the city are but few, and might easily be 
eradicated by the earnest work of a few good. Christian 
men. Remember that the Louisville Jockey Club was 
the first to give the handsome sum of $i,8oo to the yel- 
low fever sufferers. Christ came on earth to save sinners. 
How could he save them without being placed in contact 
with them? By this contact the turf might be made more 
respectable, so that all would be able to enjoy the out- 
door sports of this beautiful Eden, placed here by our 



9 

Great Master especially for our pleasure and gratifica- 
tion. 

WHAT WE MAY MAKE DERBY DAY. 

Let me read from Zachariah, chapter ix., verse 17: 
"For how great is his goodness and how great His beauty. 
Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine 
the maids." It is evident from this verse that our Heav- 
enly Father expected us to be more cheerful on some 
days than others. Then, after spending a long, dreary 
winter in a crowded city — when the beautiful month of 
May rolls around, and all nature decked with flowers, 
and the air is balmy sweet, and the many beautiful birds 
are singing their love songs — may we not make Derby 
Day an occasion when the juice of the corn and new 
wines shall make the young men and maids more cheer- 
ful and happy ? Christ at the wedding converted the 
water into wine, and all were cheerful under its in- 
fluence. Are we to give up the pleasure of witnessing 
the Derby run when contested by twenty of the most 
beautiful thoroughbreds, with riders all decked in various 
colors, and spending a few hours on the beautiful Jockey 
Club grounds, simply on account of the tact of the ex- 
istence of a few evils in the management of the course? 

In England, the Bishop of Canterbury always attends 
and witnesses the running of the English Derby, with 
his entire suite. This he does, doubtless, with an hon- 
esty of purpose to enjoy in a Christian spirit the national 
sport ot the country, and by his presence to check, in a 
measure, some of the attending evils. Can't we follow 
his example with an honesty of purpose, or shall we 
acknowledge our weakness by admitting the danger of 
our falling by the wayside ? 

One of the great weaknesses of the American people 
is to imitate the English, who were the first to introduce 



10 

the "English bob," on the tails of their race-horses. We 
followed, and bobbing is becoming so fashionable now, 
that the ladies of America bob the hair on their heads in 
imitation of this English race-horse fashion ; so, if the 
ladies can afford to follow this fashion of bobbing the 
horses' tails, we certainly can afford to follow the example 
oi the Bishop in attending the races. 

Christ when He came on earth, did not fight and quar- , 
rel with the sinners, but He won them by His kindness 
and gentle reasoning. So we must do, as it is only 
through Christianity that we can reach the end so much 
to be desired in this matter, 

TOO STRICT CHURCHES. 

Again, the Bible says " that he that eateth and drinketh 
unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself." 
So if any of us at the Lord's table should eat and drink 
unworthily, are the remainder of us to be driven from the 
holy supper table and church in consequence thereof? I 
say, certainly not. There have been, as we all know, 
many bad men in many of our churches. Are we to 
abandon the churches on account of the conduct of these 
men ? On the turf are we to abandon it on account of 
the presence of b9.d men ? He who on the turf is guilty 
of fraud, like he who " eateth and drinketh unworthily," 
brings damnation upon himself. Do not interpret a single 
sentence I have uttered to-night to mean that I would 
encourage your attendance on the race-course. So long 
as the rules governing your church forbid it, I am only 
advocating, with all due respect to the authorities of this 
dear little church a slight modification of its rules on this 
question. At the same time, I will be candid enough to 
say that in my opinion some churches, by their rigid 
rules of government on this and other similar questions, 
drive many people away from their doors. As an instance, 



11 

I will give you the case of my particular friend, John M, 
Clay, of Lexington, Ky., who had been a turfman all his 
life. Some five or six years since, he concluded that the 
time had arrived when it was his duty to become a mem- 
ber of the church ; so he approached the pastor of the 
church of his choice and made known to him his deter- 
mination. The reply he got from the pastor was that he 
must give up his race-horses. He would then talk to him 
on the subject. Mr. Clay then asked him if his neighbor, 
who handled a large stable of trotting horses, had not 
recently become a member of his church. His answer 
was yes, but his horses are trotting horses ; yours, Mr. 
Clay, are race-horses ; we have no objection to trotting 
horses in our church. Then, says Mr. Clay, I under- 
stand you to be of the opinion that your members can 
trot but can not run into heaven. So Mr. Clay retired 
and joined the Catholic church. 

Do not conclude from any thing I have said to-night 
that it is my purpose to attend the approaching races. 
For so long as I am a member of this church I shall do 
all in my power to respect and obey its rules of govern- 
ment. Brothers and sisters, allow me to thank you for 
your very kind and patient attention, and ask that our 
Heavenly Father shall continue you in health and pros- 
perity and make you cheerful and happy. 



I find it necessary that I should say a few words more 
on the question of Church and Turf, which was the sub- 
ject of my talk to the members of the Campbell-street 
church a few evenings since. I little thought that what 
I had to say on this question would attract the attention 
it has. I certainly did not think it would arouse any 



12 

harsh feelings or severe criticisms on the part of any 
editor of a Christian paper. Now that the question has 
attracted so much attention in many parts of the country, 
I wish simply to give my solution of it and I am done. 
I stand still precisely where my lecture places me, and 
have not one single i to dot or t to cross in it. My solu- 
tion of the question is this : Let it rest as a question of 
conscience with each individual member of the church, 
and should a member abuse this right of conscience in the 
exercise of the privilege as a Christian, it would then be 
time enough for the church as a body to interfere. 

Like the little boy who picked up the gun, " I did not 
know it was loaded." No one is or can be more surprised 
than I at the result of my late talk on the Turf and the 
Church. I have no other desire than the truth in this 
matter. The " most unkindest cut of all " is that of the 
Apostolic Times, which denounces the lecture, made not 
at my own suggestion or solicitation, in a severe, whole- 
sale way. The " no creed " and ready investigation spirit 
of the church of Christ challenged my admiration and 
won my allegiance. I gave my honest convictions in a 
manly way, yet modestly, for I full well realize that I am 
a " babe in Christ." It is farthest from my desires to 
bring reflections upon the church, and most deeply would 
I lament influencing any one by word or deed in the 
wrong direction. I ask that the editor of the Apostolic 
Times give us the teachings of the " Book " upon this 
subject, instead of a broadside denunciation, as no one 
will sit more willingly at his feet or listen more eagerly 
to his words than L My earthly career is drawing more 
rapidly to a close, and my great aim now is to win the 
race for eternal life ; and, as you have before said, if I 
can pass through the pearly gates of heaven in a chariot 
drawn by Enquirer and McWhirter, I would shout with 



13 

great joy, and would be far in advance of you, Mr. Editor, 
should your chariot be drawn by a pair of Noah's mus- 
tang ponies. , 

Two Sabbaths since I delivered, from the stand I now 
occupy, a short lecture on the subject of the " Church 
and Turf." The thought of my becoming a lecturer on 
any subject is something very novel, to me, at least, and 
something I had never contemplated. But still, if I find 
I can advance the cause of Christ and correct, in the 
slightest degree, the morals of this advanced age, it will 
give me infinite pleasure. This lecture has been copied 
in many papers throughout the whole country, and many 
have been the criticisms thereon ; some of them have 
been a little bitter, charging that my house was not in 
order, and that I was not the proper person to deliver 
such a lecture, and regretting its delivery in the church. 
Others of the criticisms were more favorable, and com- 
mended the subject to the study of all good men. It is 
claimed that one of the good effects of the lecture has 
been that the Chicago Driving and Running Park have 
abolished the "■wheel of fortune''' — which is one of the 
vilest species of gambling ever introduced in any coun- 
try — forever from their grounds. This, certainly, is one 
step taken in the right direction by the officers of that 
Park, and if brought about by the teachings of my lec- 
ture, we will give the credit all to our Master in Heaven. 
It is these adverse criticisms that have created a desire on 
my part to seek further light on the subject by asking 
the simple question. Whose house is in order ? 

The Holy Bible will answer this question ; so let's 
turn to our text for this evening. 

II Samuel, Chap. 23, Verse 5. 

"Altho' my house be not so with God, yet he has 
"made with me an everlasting- covenant." 



14 

Such, brethren and sisters, is the language of David, 
the King of Israel, who was a man after " God's own 
heart " In this passage Davi^l has done what all good 
Christians ought to frequently do. He compares the 
conditions and surroundings of his own life on earth 
with what is required of him by our great Master in 
Heaven. We should not only compare our conduct and 
actions, but also our thoughts and opinions, with what 
is required of us by the teachings of the Bible. In mak- 
ing this comparison of ourselves, one with another, it 
must not be made with the view of seeing in our opin- 
ions how we will compare with standards of our own, 
or with human expectations But the end desired is to 
learn how near we reach that standard required of us by 
God, In these comparisons we may oftentimes find 
some justification of a Christian feeling of congratulation 
toward one another. Still that human standard occupies 
so inferior a position that our exalted course of con- 
duct in this life over that of a brother is not a sufficient 
cause for very great rejoicing on our part. But when, 
by this thorough investigation of our true condition in 
life, we discover its weakness and its vulnerable points, it is 
then that we, in imitation of the good and pious King of 
Israel, would become most humbled in the dust, and ex- 
claim as he did: " My house, my heart, my life, my con- 
" duct, is not so with God." 

These comparisons are truly humiliating, but essential 
to the success of our spiritual life — as God gives grace 
to the poor and humble, and rejects the proud and 
haughty — we must bear the fact well in mind, that there, 
is but one good and perfect life, and that is the life of 
Jesus ; none of our lives are without stain or blemish. 
When, in the comparison of our lives with that of Jesus, 
we discover the slightest stain, we are aroused with a 



15 

feeling of great fear and alarm for our safety, and every 
honest heart is humbled, and in sadness we note the 
alarming deficiency in our present lives, in comparison 
with what they ought to be in the eye of our Lord 
and Master. Let us see in what estimation some of the 
pious men of the Bible held their lives whilst struggling 
through this cold and heartless world. David himself 
says: " I have sinned against the Lord, oh, God, Thou 
'* knowest my foolishness, and my sin is not hid from 
" Thee." Job speaks and says : " Oh, God, I am vile," 
and St. Paul gives utterance to the following wail ; " Oh ! 
" wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the 
"body of this death?" Such, my brethren, is the evi- 
dence we get from the Bible, given by some of the m.ost 
pious men of modern times, and such are, doubtless, the 
convictions of many of us in our hearts to-day. The fact 
is, by an honest examination of our own hearts, it will 
be too plainly revealed to us, that our house is not in 
order, and is not so with God as we would wish it to be 
here. 

If in this intercourse of one with another, and in mak- 
ing the comparisons as to the relative positions we oc- 
cupy as to our opinions touching the question of religion 
in any way, we discover any difference we should as 
Christians treat that difference with oreat forbearance*^ 
remembering that Bro. Campbell himself and a number 
of his members had a difference of opinion on various 
questions touching the government of the church. And 
they were treated with great forbearance, although some 
of them never did change their opinions. Such should 
be our course toward a member, whose house we con- 
sider out of order, a simple "■ demmciatio?i " and assertion 
that his views " are erroneous," are not sufficient to con- 
vince the warmest hearted Christian of his errors. But 



16 

we must point out to him wherein his reasoning is wrong, 
and by strong arguments prove to him that his house is 
not in order, as required by our Master in Heaven. 
Then, in this comparison don't let us confound our opin- 
ions with our faith. In all churches, members differ in 
a greater or less degree in their respective opinions 
touching the government of their churches, which differ- 
ences of opinions are not essential to the salvation of 
their soul. And it is our duty as Christians to do all in 
our power to remove them, in a kind and gentle manner, 
without denunciation. 

If we have faith in Christ, there should be but little 
stress laid upon opinions, "we can all be of one faith, 
"but never of one opinion." We must, therefore, in 
our efforts to assist our brethren in placing their respec- 
tive houses in the condition that God requires them to 
be, exercise great forbearance, and in removing the mote 
from our neighbor's eye, we must be careful not to de- 
stroy the eye by hasty or violent action, but touch it 
gently as our Saviour would. Notwithstanding the exist- 
ence of the fact that our house is not in order as re- 
quired by our heavenly Father, still we have a covenant 
with God. And if we are saved at all it will be through 
the part we have in this covenant of grace, called the 
everlasting covenant. No act of our own can save us. 
It is only through faith in Jesus, and by virtue of that 
faith we make ourselves a party to this covenant, the 
stipulations of which are, " I will be their God and they 
shall be my people," whosoever believes in Jesus, repents 
of his sins and yields to the authority of Clyist, shall 
be identified with the terms of this covenant. The ac- 
cuser of the brethren may accuse us before God day and 
night ; but can do no more, so long as we keep our case 
in the hands of the Divine Advocate. He will plead our 



17 

cause against the insinuations of wicked men and against 
the wiles of his Satanic Majesty, Earth and hell can 
not harm us, so long as we cling to our claims for the 
great blessing, promised us in the covenant, and nothing 
can work a forfeiture of these blessings, save a wanton 
abandonment on our part of our religious duties and re- 
quirements towards God our Saviour. We can only sus- 
tain our relationship to this covenant through faith, 
through righteousness, and the blood of our crucified 
Christ. We can do but little ourselves, and nothing can 
secure us eternal salvation, save a firm reliance in our 
Saviour. A few words more on what is said of the horse 
in the Bible and I will close. 

% -^ ^ ^ i(i if. ^ 

Sagittarius, the archer, is represented as a Centaur. 
These Centaurs were represented as men from the head 
to the loins, while the remainder of the body was that of 
a horse, of which animal the ancients had so high an opin- 
ion that this union was not considered in the least de- 
grading. In heathen mythology, one of these Centaurs, 
Chiron, was renowned for his skill in music, medicine, 
hunting and the art of prophecy. The most distinguished 
heroes of mythology were among his pupils. He taught 
yEsculapius physic, Apollo music and Hercules astron- 
omy. This illustration from the records of remote an- 
tiquity is merely introduced as an incidental illustration 
of man's tendency to deify or perpetuate his love for one 
of the noblest and most useful animals given him by 
Beneficent Povver. 

In the Scriptures so many allusions are made to the 
horse, that it is impossible to take more than a few of the 
many illustrations. From the pages of the inspired vol- 
ume, we learn that God Himself in enumerating the won- 
ders of his creative hand, as he spoke to Job out of the 



whirlwind makes mention of the noble animal in the fol- 
lowing- sublime language (Job 39th Chap., 19th to 25th 
verses) viz.: " Hast thou given the horse strength ? hast 
thou clothed his neck with thunder? canst thou make 
him afraid as a grasshopper ? The glory of his nostrils 
is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his 
strength ; he goeth on to meet the armed men. He 
mocketh at fear and is not affrighted, neither turneth he 
back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, 
the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the 
ground with fierceness and rage, neither believeth he that 
it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the 
trumpets. Ha, ha ! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the 
thunder of the captains, and the shouting." 

In the beautiful story of Queen Esther, we have the 
honor which was rendered unto Mordecai in the following 
language : 

" For the man whom the King delighteth to honor, Let 
the royal apparel be brought which the King useth to 
wear, and the horse that the King rideth upon, and the 
crown royal which is set upon his head. And let this 
apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the 
King's most noble princes, that they may array the man 
with all whom the King delighteth to honor, and bring 
him oil ho?'sedack through the street of the city," etc., etc. 
(Esther 6th Chap., 7th to loth verses.) 

In the translation of Elijah from earth to heaven, God 
honored his faithful servant by sending a celestial con- 
veyance and resplendent horses, or as the Chronicler 
quaintly expressed it "A chariot of fire and horses oy 
fire, (II Kings 2d Chap., nth verse) and as the glorious 
equipage swept heavenward Elisha saw it and exclaimed, 
" My father. My father, the chariot of Israel and the 
horsemen thereof ! " Following this train of thought we 



19 

find that God in his infinite wisdom has incorporated the 
horse with the hosts of celestial beings. When the King 
of Syria encompassed the town of Dotham with his army 
in the attempt to capture Elisha, the prophet's servant 
awaking in the morning and seeing the town encompassed 
by the enemy, exclaimed, " Alas! my master how shall 
we do?" Elisha's reply was ''Fear not, for they that be 
with us, are more than be with them," and then, in answer 
to the prophet's prayer, the eyes of the servant were 
opened to behold the heavenly allies, "and behold, the 
mountain was full o^ horses and chariots of fire round 
about Elisha." (II King 6th Chap., 17th verse.) 

All through the Bible we find the horse spoken of as 
an animal brave and powerful — as an animal respected by 
Kings, and honored by God as instruments in the accom- 
plishment of his heavenly designs. 

From Genesis to Revelation, the horse is frequently 
mentioned and the direct inference given that in a celestial 
form, it is an inhabitant of the Courts on high. St. John 
in his Apocalyptic vision, Rev., 19th Chap., i ith to 14th 
verses, writes : 

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold aivhite horse ; 
and He that sat upon him was called 'Faithful and True,' 
and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His 
eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many 
crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew 
but He Himself. And he was clothed in a vesture 
dipped in blood ; and His name is called the Word of 
God. And the armies which were in heaven followed 
Him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and 
clean.'' 

Such, my brethren, are a few passages of the Bible, 
in which the horse is spoken of, and in all of which he is 
held in great reverence by Divine writers. In none of 



20 

these passages is the abuse of the horse alluded to. It 
is the abuse of this animal that makes him an enemy to 
some Christians of the present day, which abuse I con- 
tend can only be quieted by the prompt and decisive ac- 
tion of Christian people. It is my conviction that most 
of the members of this little church are very partial to, 
and fond of riding and driving, fine horses — we would 
not be Kentuckians were we not, and judging from the 
elegant style and perfect action of the horse I see our 
worthy pastor riding through the streets of our city daily, 
he must be a thoroughbred ; he is a gentlemen of too 
much culture and taste to be satisfied with any other ; 
you would not be, nor would I. After thanking you for 
patient attention, I will close by asking that our Heav- 
enly Father will give us light, and through light, wisdom, 
that we may be of one opinion on all questions touching 
the Government of our own little church. 

A. BUFORD. 






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